Please Hold Me
by Karrit
Summary: The concluding chapter to this touching tale is up. Chichi returns home to talk to Goten about her results. Please r/r
1. Default Chapter

Please Hold Me-A Tale of Goku and Chichi

Disclaimer: Dragon Ball Z and related characters are property of Akira Toriyama.

"Chichi, I'm home!" Son Goku called out as he opened the door to his house.  He sniffed the air expecting to catch the scent of supper in the kitchen, but no smell of food filled his nostrils.  His hair tensed as a cold shiver ran up his spine.  Something wasn't right!  Chichi was always there at suppertime and she would have told him if she were going out.  Goku's sharp ears suddenly picked up a feint sound coming from the bedroom.  He recognized it as Chichi'a voice.  Instinctively, he raced down the hall and slowly opened the door.  "C-Chichi?" he murmured as he slipped inside.

She was lying curled up into a ball on the bed with her face pressed against a plush fox that Goku had given her birthday.  The noise she had been making was the moan of someone in deep pain and anxiety.

Goku blinked.  Had he upset her in some way?  He slowly approached his wife and sat down beside her.  "Chichi, I'm sorry," he whispered.

The woman looked up at her husband with bloodshot eyes.  "Goku, you didn't do anything wrong.  Remember that I went for a check-up at the doctor's this afternoon?  He found s-something…"

"Chichi, what is it?" Goku asked anxiously as he gathered her into his strong muscular arms and held her against his chest.  

"Goku, listen," began his wife, "The doctor discovered a lump on my left breast.  I'm scared because my mother…died…of…cancer.  I…It attacked her breasts and s…spread from there.  S…She didn't even k…know until it was too late."

The saiya-jin tensed.  "Do you have it too?" he asked as he rocked his wife.  He didn't know what cancer was exactly, but he knew it made people very sick and sometimes kills them.  

Chichi clung tightly to her husband's toned abdomen and answered, "I don't know yet.  The doctor had me take this test, but I won't know the results until next week.  Oh Goku, if I do have this cancer I don't know what I'm going to do.  The treatment is difficult to endure and I couldn't bear the thought of losing my breast.  That's what'll happen if the tumor is too large.  I don't want to look ugly in your eyes."

Goku's eyes widened as he heard what his wife had just said.  He lifted her up so that her eyes met his.  "Don't you dare talk like that to me, Chichi," he said in a pained tone, "What kind of husband do you take me for?  Yes, I think you are beautiful, but not just on the outside.  Chichi, I think you're beautiful because you love me and try to keep me out of trouble.  I would love you no less if you had to have this done.  I don't understand cancer, but I would rather have do whatever it took to beat it than to see you suffer."

"Oh Baby," Chichi sobbed as she buried her head against her husband's chest, "I'm so sorry.  I didn't mean to hurt you-I'm just so afraid.  I love you so much, Son Goku."

"Ssshhh," her husband soothed as he lay back on the bed with her still clasped in his gentle arms, "I love you too, Chichi.  Whatever happens, I'll be here to bear it with you."  He then closed his eyes and began to purr.  He wasn't sure if it was a typical trait of saiya-jins, but he knew it helped calm his wife when she was sad.  

Chichi nestled against Goku's chest and closed her eyes.  The soft vibration from within him sent a feeling of comfort and security into the woman as she lay there with him.  "Thank you, Goku-Sa," she whispered.

A tear slid down Goku's cheek.  He prayed to Kami that everything would be allright.  'Please don't take away my nightingale,' he said in his thoughts as he recalled the song Chichi had sung to him when he had been ill with his heart virus.  He began to hum the tune into his wife's ear as he cradled her.  

To be continued…


	2. Please Don't Hide Things From Me

Please Hold Me-Please Don't Hide Things From Me

Disclaimer:  Dragon Ball Z and related characters are property of Akira Toriyama.

Author's note:  This is a three-part story.  The second chapter revolved around Gohan and Goten.  In RL I think it's important to help little children to understand when something is wrong instead of keeping them in the dark.  However, I also believe you should do it accordingly to their age and level of understanding.  I tried to make Gohan the same way in this chapter.  

"Where's Daddy?" Goten asked as he entered the kitchen where Gohan was fixing lunch.  The little boy went to the refrigerator and took out a carton of milk.  

The older sibling finished and brought a plate of sandwiches to the table.  He then gestured for his little brother to have a seat beside him.  "Goten," he said softly, "We need to talk about something.  Do you remember that Okaasan went to the doctor's last week?"

Goten nodded with a frown.  "Hai Nichan," he replied, "I asked mama if she was sick, but she'd only smile and said not to worry about anything.  I don't believe her."

Gohan ruffled the smaller half-saiyan's hair.  "She doesn't want to frighten you, Goten, but you shouldn't be left in the dark.  Now listen, Mom went to the doctor because she found something on her chest.  It might be what they call cancer."

"What's that?" Goten squeaked, "It won't hurt 'Kaasan will it?"

"There are little things in your body called cells, Gohan began,  "They help your body out, but sometimes some cells turn against your body and form a tumor.  That's what cancer is.  The bad cells then go and attack the good cells.  It makes people very sick and can kill them, Goten."

Grabbing his big brother's arm, Goten began to wail.  "I don't want Mama to die!  Can't Daddy get her a senzu to make her well?"  

Gohan picked the seven year-old up and firmly said, "Goten, just calm down and let me finish!"

The little boy hushed himself to a quiet whimper and looked up at his brother with his sad innocent eyes.

"Goten," said Gohan in a gentle tone, "We don't know if she has cancer.  That's why she's seeing a doctor.  He made her take a test last week and had it analyzed by another doctor.  The clinic called earlier and told Okaasan the answers were in.  She was scared, so Otousan went with her.  Now if she does have cancer, she'll need us to be strong for her." 

Goten sniffled and nodded to his big brother.  "Okay Nichan, I'll try.  But can they give Mama some medicine?"

Gohan hugged his little brother, "There isn't exactly medicine for what she has, but they can help her yes.  Some of treatment can be scary, but our mom's very strong.  She'd do anything to get better for us."

"I'm not hungry anymore, Gohan," whispered Goten, with tears in his eyes.  He clung to his big brother and sniffled.

"S'okay," Gohan replied as he rubbed the square of his little brother's back, "I'm sorry if I frightened you.  I sometimes forget you're still such a little guy."

Goten smiled slightly.  "It's allright, Nichan," he answered, "I like it better when you tell me the truth.  I'm not big as you, but I don't want to be left out if something is wrong."  He embraced Gohan with another hug and closed his eyes.

Gohan ruffled Goten's hair and carried him off to his room.  He laid him down upon his futon and pulled a blanket over him.  'Poor little guy,' he thought, 'I hope Mom will be allright.'  He decided to let Goten rest for a little while.  Lunch could wait a little bit longer.  

The little saiya-jin opened his eyes slightly.  "Will you stay here for a little while, Nichan?" he asked.

"I can if you want me to, Goten," whispered the older saiya-jin.

Goten nodded, "Arigotou, Nichan.  I love you.  I also think Mama's going to be allright.  She always is."

'I hope so, Goten,' thought Gohan to himself, 'We'll find out in a few hours…'

 To be continued…

  
  



	3. The Moment Of Truth

Please Hold Me-The Moment Of Truth

Disclaimer:  Dragon Ball Z and related characters are property of Akira Toriyama.

"Goten," murmured Chichi as she gently roused her small son, "Wake up, Sweetheart.  Mommy has something important to tell you."

The small half-saiyan opened his eyes slightly.  "'Kaasan," he said with a yawn, "I know why you went to the doctor."

Chichi paled.  "Honey, how did you know?  I told Gohan not to worry you!"

"Mama, I wanted him to tell me," replied Goten, "I know I'm little, but I don't want to be left out of anything even if it's really bad.  Please don't be mad at Gohan, Mama."

"I'm not angry," said Chichi as she hugged her son, "I've just been so scared these past several days.  I love you, Goten, and I didn't want to hurt you.  I'll try not to hide these things from you in the future, allright?"

With a nod, Goten hugged his mother back.  "Are you sick then, Mama?" he asked.

Tears welled up in Chichi's eyes.  She pulled Goten closer to her and whispered, "No, I'm going to be allright.  I don't have cancer."

"I knew it!" the chibi beamed, "Oh 'Kaasan, I'm glad you're going to be okay."  He lay his head on his mother's chest, as he did when he was a toddler.  "I love you, Mama," he added.

"I love you too, Goten," Chichi replied in a whisper as she rocked her littlest son.  He was her little angel and one of the dearest gifts her husband had given her, as was Gohan.  She loved both of her sons and her husband.  She held Goten in her arms until he fell back to sleep, this time with a smile on his face.  Chichi tucked him back under his blankets and kissed his cheek.  "Goodnight, my little Goten-Chan," she softly called as she closed his door behind her.  She then made her way to her bedroom.  

Goku was there asleep on their bed.  He had a smile on his face, identical to Goten's.  He stirred and opened his eyes as Chichi closed the door behind her.  "Chichi," he whispered.

Chichi lay down beside the saiya-jin and threw her arms around his muscular neck.  "My poor sweet Goku-Sa," she said and kissed his forehead.  "I'm so sorry I worried you.  I'm also glad that everything is going to be allright."

"Me too," answered Goku with a smile.  He snuggled up next to his wife and rested his nose against her ebony hair. His nostrils were filled with her sweet scent.  

The earth woman smiled back as she gently stroked her husband's own soft black locks.  She followed with a kiss on his gentle lips.

The saiya-jin couldn't help but purr.  He blushed and whispered, "Um…Chichi…You know what rubbing my hair does to me…don't you?"  

"Of course I do, Goku-Sa," laughed Chichi.  She kissed him a second time and went back to petting his ebony hair.

Goku gave in with a happy sigh and started to nibble at his wife's neck. 

The End  


End file.
